Signaling device for railway-cars.



III). 635,39I. Patented Oct. 24, I899.

' H. S. RODGERS.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY CABS.

(Application filed Aug. 3, 1899.)

(No Model.)

With cases. I P lm/ezzzoz.

NITED STATE! PATENT union.

HOWVARD S. RODGERS, OF OOVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,391, dated October 24, 1899. Application filed August 3, 1899. Serial No. 725,971. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOWARD S. RODGERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Devicesfor Railways and the Like, of which the following is a full, clear and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates. to improvements in signaling devices, and is especially adapted for use on street-railways, in. the operation of which the signal for starting and stopping is ordinarily given the man in charge of the propelling mechanism by pulling a cord or strap attached to a gong or suitable mechanism within hearing range of the operator.

It is customary in the operation of streetrailways to stop only on signal from the conductor and then onlyat a street intersection or some designated point, and no stops are made between any of these designated points or street intersections, and in case of an emergency there is no alarm or signal which may be communicated to the operator in charge of the propelling mechanism to indicate the necessity of an immediate stop. Accidents frequently occur in various ways as, for instance,the conductor m ay have given the starting-signal before the passenger has alighted from the car, or the clothing of the passenger alighting may have caught in some manner, or a passenger has endeavored to alight from or board a moving car. Should the conductor at such times give the ordinary signal to stop, the car would probably be run to the next designated stopping-point and cover a considerable distance before stopping, and it would often be the case that were it possible to communicate immediately some simple and unmistakable signal to the man in charge of the propelling-power serious injury to the passenger could be averted. .It is true that on some tramways three strokes of the gong are used as an emergency signal; but often in the excitement incidentto such occasions this signal is not recalled by the conductor. Furthermore, this sort of signal is often unknown to the passengers, who may be aware of the accident before the conductor, and therefore time would be lost in notifying him.

The object of my invention is to provide some simple and unmistakable signal for an immediate stop and one that can be operated by the same cord or strap used for the ordinary starting and stopping signal.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a signal-bell with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of same with the cap of the bell removed.

Like letters of reference indicate-identical parts in both figures.

I have illustrated in the drawings a wellknown construction of gong comprising bodyportion a and cap I). v A is the knocker, of the usual bell-crank construction, pivoted at c.

B is the bell cord or strap, comprising ends at e, the end (1 controlling the bell-crank operating the usual knocker A. I have shown the end (1 provided with a coiled springf and this end made more taut than end 6, so that an ordinary pull on cord B will operate the knocker A without putting sufficient pull on end e to operate the mechanism it is connected with.

As one form of mechanism for producing an emergency-signal I have shown the wellknown ratchet-lever h, which meshes with a small ratchet 2', which in turn meshes with a small ratchet to which the small knockers jj are secured, whereby they are rotated, and as these knockers are loosely held the centrifu gal force sends them out against the bellcap, producing a constant ring, the lever 71. being drawn back to its normal position by a small coiled spring 70, so-that the gong will sound during theforward and backward swing of the lever 71. Connected with the lever h is the other end of the bell-cord c.

It is obvious from the drawings and the above description that an ordinary pull on the bell-cord B will not produce the emergencysignal, but merely operate the usual knocker to give the ordinary signals for starting and stopping the car; but if the bell-cord B is given a strong pull the springf will of course expand and the end 6 also put under sufficient tension to pull the lever It, thus not only pulling theknocker A, but also operating the emergency-signal, which is caused by the revolving knockers j j. Thus it will be seen that a simple yet effective signal is given by the casual passenger, who from excitement would naturally, or by the conductor, who intentionally would, give a strong pull on the cord 13.

I have described the end (Z as being supplied with a coiled spring 1''. It is of course obvious that instead of such a spring rubber or any elastic material might be used. So, also, in place of the mechanism shown and described to produce the emergency-signal other mechanism may be used.

My invention of course may be applied to the bell or signal cord of steam-railways, elevators, and the like, and in the case of railways, for instance, instead of the mechanism above described a steamer air whistle or other signal may be used, or the end 6 of the cord may have connection with the mechanism for applying the air or electric brakes, as well as giving some sort of signal.

Vhile it is true that I have not shown the usual shape of gong in the drawings, it is of course obvious that such gong may be used and the end connecting with the usual knocker or striker provided with a spring or elastic material and the mechanism for producing the emergency-signal added and the same connected to the bell-cord, thus making it possible to very readily equip a tramway. It is obvious that any number of ends to the bellcord may be employed, each end arranged to be operated when a certain amount of tension is applied to the main cord or strap, and thereby tw'o, three, or any number of signals and mechanism operated, and I do not limit myself to the mechanism as here shown and described; but

hat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a signaling device, a bell-cord bifurcated at its one end, one of said bifurcations having controlling connection with mechanism for producing an emergency-signal, the other bifurcation connecting with the usual signaling device, and arranged to operate under a normal tension, and means intermediate the main cord and usual signaling device to permit of such increase of tension whereby the emergen cy-signal bifurcation is made taut and said signaling device operated, substantially as and in the manner described.

2. In a signaling device, a bifurcated bellcord, said bifurcations connecting with the usual signaling device and with mechanism for producing an emergency-signal, said bifurcations placed under varying tensions, and means intermediate the usual signal device and its connecting bifurcation, to permit of an increase of tension whereby the emergen cysignal-controlling bifurcation is made taut and the same operated, substantially as shown and in the manner and for the purpose described.

In a signaling device for tramways and the like, a bifurcated signal-cord, one of said bifurcations connecting with mechanism for use in an emergency, and the other connecting with the usual alarm-signal, and means intermediate the usual signal and main signal-cord to permit of increased tension,whereby the emergency-mechanism-cont-rolling bifurcation is made taut and said mechanism actuated, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

4:. In a signaling device for tramways and the like, a ramitied signal-cord whose ramifications connect with the usual alarm-signal and other mechanisms for use in an emergency, and means intermediate the usual signal and its controlling ramification whereby tension on the main signal-cord may be varied and the various ramifications made taut, thereby actuating the emergency mechanism, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

I'IO IVA RD S. RODGERS.

\Vitnesses:

GEORGE IIEIDMAN, EDUARD U001. 

